Scabbard



Nov- 28, 193 H. M. PIERCE ET AL SCABBARD Filed July 1, 1938 Z7 INVENTORS Hon/Aka M. P/EECE Ja/M/HHEK 5 BY M m ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 28, 1939 SCABBARD Howard M. Pierce and John H. Hermson, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to A. G. Spalding & Bros. Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 1, 1938, Serial No. 216,936

Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in scabbards for ice skates and a method of making the same.

Skate scabbards heretofore proposed usually 5 consisted of a pair of side strips of leather or the like with a toe portion of greater width than the body of the side strips, and integral therewith. A base strip of narrower width than the side strips and of equal length was usually interposed between the side strips to space the same apart a proper distance to receive the runner of the skate.

Scabbards of the type .described are very expensive in their production since the side strips have to be cut from leather blanks twice or more times the width of the final strips to provide for the projecting portion or pocket in which the forward end or toe of the skate is placed. Since thescabbard, if it is to fit the skate properly, and

particularly the toe portion, is usually required to be of particular curved shape,a considerable amount of leather is wasted even if the blanks are laid out as economically as possible.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a skate scabbard which possesses all the advantages of the proposals made heretofore but whichis produced more economically.

A principal feature resulting from the attainment of this objective is a scabbard, the forward or toe portion of which is an element made separately from the main body thereof.

Another important feature of this invention is the provision of a scabbard which is adapted to v envelop the runner or blade of a skate, and the side strips of which are of substantially uniform shape and size throughout their length.

Since skates of various types and shapes, depending on their particular purpose, are in common use, the skate scabbards according to previous proposals had to be made specially for each particular type.

It is therefore a vital object of the present invention to provide skate scabbards the main bodies of which are substantially alike.

A feature of this invention consists in the manufacture of side and spacing or base strips which may be used as the main body for a variety of skate scabbards suitable to fit different types 5 of skates.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of a toe cap or pocket which determines the shape of the forward portion of the scabbard.

55-; Features of the invention for attaining the last mentioned objective are the provision of a toe cap or pocket at one end of the main body of the scabbard; an extension of the base strip which forms a part of the main body of the scabbard for separating or spacing apart the two tion consists in the provision of a toe cap or 5 pocket for a skate scabbard which is of such a nature that it will adapt itself to slight irregularities or differences in the shape of the forward or toeportion of the skate and which is secure against ripping apart. 20

It is still another object of the present in-. vention to provide a scabbard which grips the runner of a skate securely and clings thereto tightly so as to absorb all moisture from the blade and keep the same dry when not in'use.

A feature of the invention for attaining this objective is the shaping of the side strips or the spacing strip, respectively, or of both so that the inner walls of the spacing strips are inclined toward each other and thus under tension when 30 applied to the skate blade.

Still other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed de-. scription and the drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a scabbard according to the invention applied to one type of skate.

' Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the scabbard shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isa top view of the forward part of the scabbard according to the invention.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the forward part of the spacing or base strip according to the invention.

Fig. 5 is a section along line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing 45 a modification of the invention.

Fig. '7 shows a blank for the forward portion or toe pocket of the scabbard according to themvention.

Fig. 8 is a fractional side View of another form of the scabbard according to the invention.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the scabbard in still another form.

Before describing the present improvements and mode of operation thereof in detail it should 1; 8 and 9, disclosethree different shapes obtain.-

able by such amethod. By comparing the pocket- I2, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. A narrow base strip I3 of greater length than. side strips II is placed between the latter adjacent the bottom edge I4; and the side and base strips are temporarily secured together by tacking orthe like so that at the rear end the side and base strips are of even length, while a portion I5of the base strip which terminates in an inclined or rounded end I t, projects beyond the forward ends I2 of: the side strips. Base strip I3 may either be made of relatively fiexible leather or similar materiaLin which event it may be substantially straight throughout its length, or if made of relativelyinfiexible material, the forward projecting portion I5 preferably should be slightly curved upwardly, as shown for example in Fig. 4.

In order to obtain tighter gripping of the skate blade by the side strips II, the sides H of the base strip I3 may be inclinedtoward each other as shown in Fig. 5, or inclined longitudinally extending grooves It may be provided near the lower edge of the sidestrips II as shown in Fig, 6, and a base strip I311. of substantially rectangular cross-section be inserted and secured in grooves I8:to spaceapart the side strips I I. In such a manner, the sidestripsII are placed under considerable tension so that when a skate blade is inserted therebetween they exert a string gripping force upon the skate blade, prevent any moisture from entering, and absorb all moisture from the. blade.

According. tovv the present invention, the toe pocket I9 ofthe scabbard is formed as anelement separate from the side strips i I In formingsuch a pocket, a blankor pattern 20 of, a shape substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 7 is cut. from asheet of relatively fiexiblematerial, such as fine-grain leather, impregnated fabric, rubber composition or the like. Such blank 20 is folded aboutxits, center-line 2i, placed at its base 22 tightly about the projecting portion I5 of the base strip I3 and securedat its free ends 23 to the forward ends I2of the side strips I I.

Bydrawing the upper or lower edges 24, 25, respectively, of the rear ends 23 different amounts toward the rear of the scabbard, the pocket may be given. diiferent shapes. For. example, Figs.

of Figs. 1 or 2 with that of Fig. 8, it will be seen that the rear upperedge 24 of the pocket of Fig. 1, indicatedin dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 8 is drawn back a sufficient distance to curve the bottom edge 26- ,of the pocket, and the projecting portionlfiofthe-base strip likewise to a slightly larger angle relative to the bottom edge hot the side strips. II; For. obtaining an, extremely large angle of ,bottom'edge 26;relative to edge I4, or in other words, a. still smaller radius of curvature of edge 26, the forward-edge ZI is preferablyv shortenedliand preshaped. Jto the-desiredzrad-ius,

as..indicated.'.-in;-Fig. 9. The-forward portion I5...

of the bottom strip may either be bent to the desired curvature, or, a preshaped strip, as shown in Fig, 4, may be used.

After the pocket I 9, including the forward portion I5 of the base strip I3, has been given the desired shape, the rear ends 23 are permanently secured to side strips II by stitching 21, metallic fasteners 28, or the like. Thereafter the side 7 strips I I and the pocket I'9"are stitched to. the base strip I3 by a common line of stitches 21 extend- I I may be secured by stitching Z'I to'the'ends 23" of the blank so that they are disposed at a wide angle to each other. Thereupon, the side strips l I are placed upon each other wherebythe blank 20 is folded;.the base strip I3 is then inserted between the side strips I I and the side portions of the pocket. I9; and the line of stitching 21' is formed. to secure the side strips II andrthe pocket It to the base strip I3.

By making the two side portions of the pocket I9 integral with each other and by omitting all stitching along the front wall 33, shown particularly in Fig; 3, a certain amount of resiliency is obtained which permits the front wall 33, to assume slightly different angles when the toe portion of'a skate is inserted therein. The front wall 33.therefore fits tightly aboutthe edges of the toe. portion of the skate even if such toe portion differs slightly from'the normal shape of the pocket I9.

Such resilient. construction possesses decided advantages over: relatively rigid constructions previously proposed. Since-even skatesof' the same general. type difier slightly in the particular shape andangle of their toe portion, a scabbard madeaccordingto. previous proposals would fit properly one specific skate for which it was custom-made, but not any other skate of the same general. type but'diifering from the first in minor respects- However, a resilient scabbard according to the present invention will, automatically adaptitselfito; minor diiferen-ces in the toe portionsof various. skates of the same general type and'fit. the toe portionsof each of such skates properly.

The resilient construction of the pocket I9 and the absence of any stitching. alongits' front wall tshasthe following further-advantage over the nonresilient constructions previously proposed:

An attempt to: fit the toe portion of a skate tightly and fully into a nonresilient stitched pocket, easily; wedges apart the side portionsthereof and; tears the seam at its forward end, particularly if the toe portion of the skate differs. slightly from: the inner contour of such a pocket.

toe portion of the skate until the toe-portionfits tightly and fully into the pocket and sagainst the frontazwall 33.. Therefore,..because of its ability However, when. a similar attempt ismade toinsert thetoe portion of a; skate into the to yield and adapt itself automatically to the contour of the toe portion of the skate, the pocket in has an increased resistance to wear and a longer life.

For exerting lateral yielding pressure upon the toe portion of the skate, the outer surfaces 34 of the forward ends l2 of the side strips H are inclined toward each other, as previously described and shown in Fig. 3, and the end portions 23 of the pocket are stitched to these inclined surfaces 34 so that the side walls of the pocket are brought close to each other, particularly at 35. The inner surfaces 36 of the ends l2 of side strips l I may also be inclined outwardly to facilitate the insertion of the skate blade.

For securing the scabbard 10 according to this invention to a skate 30, a pair of tabs 3| of suitable length, each having a fastener button 32 at one end, are secured to one of the side strips H, and male fastener members cooperating with buttons 32 are secured to the other side strip.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A skate scabbard comprising side strips; a pocket separate from said strips but secured to one extreme end thereof so as to extend beyond the same; and a base strip separating said side strips and being of greater length than said side strips so as to project into said pocket.

2. A skate scabbard comprising side strips; a base strip separating said side strips and having a portion projecting beyond one end of said side strips; anda front strip looped about the end of the projecting portion of the base strip and secured at its free ends to one extreme end of said side strips.

3. A skate scabbard comprising a pair of side strips; a base strip of tapered cross-section interposed between one lateral edge of said side strips so as to incline the same toward each other, and having a portion projecting beyond one end of said side strips; and a member of flexible material looped about the end of the projecting portion of said base strip and secured at one lateral side to said base strip and at its free ends to the said end of the side strips so as to form a toe pocket thereon.

4. A skate scabbard comprising a pair of side strips having upper edges; a pocket separate from said side strips but secured to one end thereof so as to extend beyond the same; a base strip separating said side strips and having a portion projecting beyond the end thereof and into said pocket; and contacting portions on said base strip and on at least one of said side strips, so shaped relative to each other as to incline said one of said side strips toward the other of said side strips at the upper edges thereof.

5. A skate scabbard comprising a base strip; a pair of side strips spaced apart by said base strip and secured to opposite sides thereof; an integral looped member having a closed end and having side portions with free ends, said free ends being secured to adjacent side strips at one end of said side strips, and said closed end and saidside portions all extending appreciably beyond said end of said side strips; and outer surfaces on said side strips adjacent said end, underlying said side portions and inclined toward each other in the direction of said end to bring said side portions of the looped member closer to each other.

HOWARD M. PIERCE. JOHN H. HERMSON. 

